The 5-Second Rule Is REAL, Says Science

Floor cookies are fair game.

You know when you’re eating a bunch of chips, and suddenly one falls to the ground tragically, but then you’re like, “it’s fine,” and you eat it anyways? Same. So basically, whether you thought the 5-second rule was real, or you didn’t care, I’m here to tell you that it is, in fact, legit. THANKS SCIENCE.

There is a catch though — it’s only true for dry foods. So if you drop a burrito on the ground, and there’s chicken and guac flying in every which way, you’re going to have to sacrifice that beautiful thing to the trash. According to the Discovery Science Channel's The Quick and the Curious, dry food won’t be contaminated by any harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella. Sure, your cookie will pick up some other bacteria, but hey, live a little!

This isn’t the first time the 5-second rule has been tested, but it’s definitely the most recent, and I welcome anyone who tells me I can eat things off the floor.

"When any food flops on the floor, small amounts of bacteria will jump aboard immediately," the video explains. "But moist foods left longer than 30 seconds collect 10 times the bacteria than those snapped up after only three."

The reason for this is because bacteria needs water to live. That means if you drop your cookie in a puddle, don’t eat it. Watch the video below for the full details on floor food and the 5-second rule.